


Strange Relations

by rebecca_selene



Category: Dredd (2012), Fallout 3
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-02 20:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14553219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebecca_selene/pseuds/rebecca_selene
Summary: Fawkes and Jillian seek shelter in Mega-City One.





	Strange Relations

**Author's Note:**

> written for [hc_bingo](https://hc-bingo.dreamwidth.org/) April 2018 Amnesty Challenge crossover prompts: trust issues AND accept injury to protect someone

Anderson eyed the approaching figures with growing unease. One person towered over the other, and she sensed Dredd tense beside her long before the figures came into clear view. She almost preferred gun fights with criminals inside the city to guard duty at the wall. At least inside, the rules were clear. Here, where each judge’s discretion decided the fate of wanderers seeking asylum, her decisions clashed with her partner’s.

The woman—Anderson could see now that the shorter figure was around her own age—could have had a chance at entry. But paired with her hulking partner, she’d have to fight to convince Dredd. Anderson steeled herself against the strangers’ inevitable loss.

“They’re armed,” Dredd said quietly, hand on his own gun.

Anderson snorted. “Of course they are. It’d be stupid not to be in the Wasteland.” Dredd grunted.

The woman and the mutant shaded their eyes against the merciless sun to take in the the sight of the massive city wall, stretching to the horizon. Anderson knew just how impressive it was, having grown up in its shadows. She took their moment of curiosity to make her own observations. The mutant’s skin was mottled red and green, veins and muscles visible. It was hairless, lipless. She suppressed a shudder, knowing how easily that radiation-induced mutation could have been her own fate by any other roll of the universe’s dice.

Finally, they were close enough to be heard. The woman elbowed the mutant, who then yelled up in a rough voice to the guard’s station above the city’s gate. “Hello. We seek entry to the city for trade and shelter. My name is Fawkes. This is Jillian.” He gestured to the woman, who waved up at them. Anderson couldn’t help but smile.

“Entry denied.” Dredd’s words cut down the friendly greeting.

Anderson looked at him sharply as sounds of confusion came from below. “I sense no animosity from them. _Either_ of them.”

“But why?” the mutant—Fawkes—called.

Still looking down at them, Dredd replied to Anderson, “Are you sure, or do you just hope that is the case?”

Incensed, Anderson drew herself up. “You’ve trusted me before. Why is today any different?” 

“The mutant will not be accepted here. Better to prevent trouble before it happens.”

Having not received a response from either judge, Fawkes and Jillian turned around, shoulders slumped, to return to the Wasteland. They did not get far, though, before stopping short and pulling out their weapons. Anderson followed their aim. The dust cloud rising and drawing near made her tense.

“Raiders.” Dredd nearly spat the word.

“Too many raiders,” Anderson pointed out, gesturing toward the two exposed figures. They had seen this before, raiders and other unsavory groups taking advantage of the open space, the unyielding city wall, to corner traders and the unlucky few who were turned away from the gate. She ground her teeth. “Dredd—”

“I am not endangering a city of 800 million for two.”

“And you think letting two be murdered is lawful?”

Dredd looked sharply at her, hesitated. “They are not citizens.”

Anderson glared at him. “You denied them that chance.”

Dredd said nothing. A beat passed. The popping sound of gunfire reached them. Anderson darted to the elevator and pressed the down arrow. “Anderson!” Dredd called, but it was too late. The doors closed, and she whooshed to ground level.

“Open the gate,” she said to the gatekeeper there. Though she hesitated, whatever she saw in Anderson’s expression made her press the right combination of buttons without argument. Anderson ran out of the city, gun raised.

More raider bodies lay prone than Anderson had expected, but Fawkes and Jillian were wearing down quickly. Blood ran down the woman’s arm, and the mutant…Anderson gasped at the bullet holes in his massive body. Fawkes crouched in front of Jillian like a shield, shooting with his laser gun, but his aim was unsteady. Jillian was taking shots as best she could around Fawkes’ body, crying and shouting at Fawkes to get up, to run.

“Rapid fire!” Anderson joined the fray, bending down on one knee in the flat, dead dirt. Her hands pointed her gun instinctively, following her mind’s reading of which threat was most immediate, who needed to be taken out before they took her out. It took several moments for her to recognize the second stream of rapid fire coming from behind her. Reaching out with her mind, she felt Dredd’s presence backing her up. 

The fighting ended quickly after that. The blood of every raider soaked the thirsty earth. Blinking away the haze of combat, Anderson stood.

“Please,” Jillian said, kneeling next to a prone Fawkes, her voice barely understandable through her sobs. “Please, help him. He’s never…I’ve never seen…” Her hands flew over Fawkes’ chest, trying to staunch his many wounds.

Anderson started to tap her comm, but Dredd stopped her. Anger rose in her, but he shook off her protests. “Field dressing. I’ll call it in.” She blinked, then nodded. She administered what first aid she could while Dredd commed Control for medical assistance. Jillian took some of the supplies and seemed to calm slightly with something to do while they waited.

The responders did a double take when they saw Fawkes, but after recognizing Anderson, they became businesslike and efficient once more. It was not until after Anderson and Dredd had seen Fawkes stabilized within the city walls, a bandaged Jillian falling into an exhausted sleep next to him, that she spoke to Dredd again as they walked out of the med building.

“Those two are innocent. They never should have been in danger under our watch.”

Dredd grunted. “I don’t need to be psychic to know you will remind me that you told me that from the beginning.”

“Yes. I did. For whatever reason I don’t understand you only trust yourself, and that’s helped you survive. But look at where that got you today. We took out the raiders, but this was barely a win.” Anderson let out a breath of frustration, feeling defeated herself. After another moment, she said, more quietly, “Thank you, by the way. For having my back out there.”

Silence. Then, Dredd gritted out, slowly, as if painfully, “I will…try…to have your back in here as well. So you don’t need it out there.”

Warmth filled Anderson. “That’s all I ask.”

They turned to make their way to the Hall of Justice.


End file.
